Jumbo donations to repair HS2 elephant

Published:14:56Tuesday 21 August 2012

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A CAMPAIGN to stop HS2 has launched an urgent appeal for funds to replace Ellie, the group’s mascot.

The inflatable elephant which has made 100 appearances at events in the past year has been damaged beyond repair. It has been used to demonstrate the scheme, a high speed rail link between London and Birmingham which will cut through Aston le Walls, Chipping Warden and the Boddingtons, is a white elephant.

Stop HS2 chairman Penny Gaines said: “Sadly Ellie has now developed as many holes as the HS2 Ltd business case: she needs to be constantly pumped full of hot air if she is to remain standing. We’ve tried patching Ellie up, but just like the patches on the HS2 Ltd case, these don’t really help.”

While those backing HS2 have claimed the campauign is exceptionally well funded, they have said this is not the case and needs to fight their case.

Joe Rukin, Stop HS2 campaign coordinator, said: “Although we have achieved a great deal with very little in the way of resources, Stop HS2 as an organisation has always been underfunded, which has a knock-on effect in terms of our capacity and how much we can do.

“We have always wanted to do more, but we have just not been able to. What we really need is regular funding which we can rely on, more than lumps sums, we need people to set up standing orders.

“They don’t have to be a massive amount if enough people get behind us financially, they just have to be regular so we can plan ahead.

“We know that when Stage 2 is announced there will be a colossal amount of work which we have planned for, but we need to be able to deliver and make the most of the opportunity to double the size of the campaign when it comes.

“The sad reality is that we will not be able to do this without funding.”